Folding camp house



July 16, 1929- R. H. ATHEY 1,721,198

FOLDING CMP HOUSE Filed Nov. 30, 1927 2 Sheets--SheeiI l A' TTORNE YS.

Julyus, 1929. l RHATHEY l 5 1,721,198

FOLDING CAMP HOUSE Filed Nov. 5o, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN VENT 0R.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES N i, --1,7z1,198 PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD 1I. ATIIEY, or sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AssIerNoR` oF ONE-THIRD 'ro JOSEPH CAHEN AND ONE-THIRD To s. LEVI, Dori-Ion SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFOR- NIA. v 'Y v FOLDING CAMI HO'IISE.`

Application led November 30, 1927. Seria1-No. 236,702.

This invention relates ytoportable houses generally and in particular to a foldableV camp house. f

The objects of the invention are to provide a foldable structure which will occupy but small space when folded and which may bev easily set up to 4form a ril-gid frame Camp house with canvas walls. Y

Also lsuch a house in which the folding members are provided with looking joints and in which the folding idea is carried ont vin all members `of any great length includ: ing the door and the floor beams. 1

Also such a construction-in which a wooden floor is provided and made in sections which cooperateA with the foldable -floor beams in holding :them in positiom'also such a house in which the assembled y'floor will be av rigid unit trussed from its corners so that it may be supported on four or more large stones at the corners so as to clear the ground, also such a house in which the superstructure is -securedtightly to the rigid floor unit so `as to -be independent of bracing ropes as used on tents, also such a house in `which provision is made for tightly stretching the canvas roof, andralso the provision of a canvas :ceiling spaced' downward from said roof and provision is made for stretching :tight ysaid ceiling, and in conjunction with the above features the details .of Construction kby :which they are 'carried out.A s Y In .the'drawings hereto Fig. 1 is al front elevation of my foldablefoamp house fas it :appears when erected withcanvas roof and .ceiling in: place but -withthe canvas sides omitted So that the frame construction will .be clear; f

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the/supporting'truss frame and floor beams as Vassembled ready toreceive the floor sections and then the house frame.

Fig. 3 is a -Vperspective view of a floor section, `a number of which are Vrequired to coverzthe floor beams.l v Y f f Fig. 4 is a A.perspective view of one v,of the truss frame beams partially folded.

Fig. f5 is van enlarged side elevation -Of'one ,.lower'corner of the house showing :the truss -rod and corner connections. j

Fig.V 6 is an enlarged broken perspective lview of one intermediatemauprght showing .various Cini-ng, .members fesjust die connected therefrom, and detailing .the lmain folding joints.

F 1g. 7 is an enlarged front view of the.

intermediate upright-.of Fig. ,6 with adjacent i members connected thereto yand the Canvas yroof and'spaced Canvas ceiling in place. Y

In further detaily (see Fig. 2) the stiff frame under the floor comprises anplurality kof spaced wooden beams 1, herein termed 1 truss beams, andV which are each jointed in the vcenter Aat 2 and stiffened u'ndertfhis joint by short beams 3 slidably-securedto the two portions of beams l by :means ofbojlts 1455ecured to lthe ends of beams i3 :but lslfidable in j slots 5 in vthe inner or abuttingA ends of truss beams -1. Tghe arrangement being such that each complete truss lbeameinay. be folded to about :a third of its lengthfbyvfpulling lthe ends 1 outward-to Sslide the'boltin the slots v'and of then turning the Ebeam sections 1 in .opposite directions on-the bolts as indicated' in Fig. 4 until the three beam sectionsr-Iie substantially parallel. These beams when unfolded to yfull length are stiff at thejoint 4onaccou-ntYof 'the inner ends -of beam 1' projecting a comparatively long fway'beyond the *bolts L and yresting against the beam vsectlon. f

f Extending at right anglesacrossthe/truss beams `.are floor `bea-ms `6 Leach .terminating inl 1theoenter ofthe central truss beam at 7 `and provided with intermediate folding ljoi-nts .Shinged at 9.

',-The ,two outer yfloor beamsfare arranged .n

Ifiushwith `the ends `of the vtruss beamsaild 10 and is provided with a hook 12,-to which bear -against the, under sides `oj'ffthe inter- -mediateytruss beams,1the 4.center truss beam being provided with blocks .asqat 114 to vmake vup Afor the angle involved.

lbesides being hinged at :9 Asare lstifened by a shortfloor beam 15 providedwtbopenmetal yokes 16 which engage over the upV er and lower-surfacesof .thesect-onsf, andt e short fa. llinked truss rod lm-is'ganchored as best "shown in :the detail Fig. 5.' rIlhesetr-ussrods The Vtwo `folding ioor :beams ,at'geach side,

cnl

The assembled beamsl of Fig. 2v are next' covered with a wooden Hoor made in uniform sections'as shown at 19 in Fig. 3 of a size to rest upon the floor beams and with cleats 2O underneath spaced to come between the floor beams 6 and some suitably notched or lspaced to clear the short beams and apertured or notched to clear the Acorner bolts 10 in thecommon manner not detailed in the drawings, so that when all the floor sections are laid 'in place they will form a com-` plete covering 'for' the beams.

" .f At points between the floor beams the'floor sections'may be additionally supported by blocks l21 lplaced under the ends of intermediate floor cleats and resting `on the truss beamsv as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The superstructure comprises corner and any desired number of intermediate uprights V,as at 22, preferably of square wooden section,

secured to the floor by bolts as the corner bolts 10 screwing into the lower ends of the uprights, theuprights being preferably provided with threaded socketsas at 23 to receive the bolts. Y f 1 The upper ends oftheseuprights are each provided'with a pipe `iitting T or cross as at l 24-.pinned in place, and into' which' the ends of horizontal or plate members 25 and transverse or tie members 26 are removably attached'byscrewing `into'the pipe fitting, the square wooden members each` having ya threaded pipe nipple 27 securely pinned in forms a rigid lock-joint at each in all directions.

--sticks 30 in or out of place.-

place. f 1

All of the vertical and horizontal pieces are jointed with atapered splice as att-28 secured vlby a'fstrap-hingef29 at both ends of the splice, and the pins of at least one of these hinges of each joint is a loose or removable pin whereby the joint `may be folded upon removing the pin, and upon setting up, the frame theV insertion ofthe pin or pins place, stiff Window openings are provided by any number of spaced vertical sticks as at 30 preferably*heldinplace .by short dowels 31 or their equivalents,` the sticks being'ninserted or removed by breaking the joints of the upper horizontal members 26 and lower horizontal ymembers 32 and springing the Lower` horizontal members 32 are preferably secured.v to the uprights by bayonet joints formed by two metal buttons or lugs 33., at the 'ends' of each piece interlocking in hooked at its ends into eyelets 36'screwed into the frame members, and a turnbuckle 37 on the rod provides for tightening it.

An intermediate upright 38 bayonet or dowel jointed to the adjacent structure at its upper and lower ends provides a doorway closed by a VVdoor hingedly j ointe'd'in its fcenter at 39 and both hinged to thecorner upright with loose pin hinges 40.r All loose pin hinges used at all points in my house being of the same size so interchangeable. f

Buttons 41'are provided around the door frame so that screen or solid canvasmay be buttoned thereover. Buttons are similarly provided along all frame and window sides for buttoning canvas walls in place and screenl material or canvas or both over the window openings. j

` 4The roof `of my structure comprises slantthat the pins are ed rafters 42 ofi-square wooden section provided at their upper ends with pipe nipples as previously describedand screwed into pipe fittings 43 permanently pinned to a gable piece 44. The gable and'rafter members vare all splice-jointed with loose pin hinges as described. Y

`The rafters are each provided with a block 43L adapted to rest firmly ron topv of the `pipe fitting 24 of the uprights and is secured thereto by a bolt 45 countersunk in the rafter and screwed into a bushing 46 ini the fitting (see Fig.` G wherein theY rafter and all adjacent members aresltownas partially separated).

r lThe roof is covered with ash-eet of canvas tensioningA the roof covering being adjustably mounted on rods 49 eachpivotedat 5()J to the member and slidably supported-inl a bracket 51 attached to the side ofy thera'fter and provided with a set' screw `52 for holding the rod 49 after forcing same and members 48 outwardly'to stretchthe roof sheet.

Spaced below the roof sheet 47 is a Isubceilingsheet53 of canvas or the like buttoned along its outer edffes to the upper horizontal members of the frame along with the roof sheet 47, and the sub-ceiling sheet passes over a central longitudinal member 54 which maybe ypulled upwardby meansl of several l ed as described and are for the purpose of Rope slings 55 secure. at their upper ends to an eyelet 56 screwed into member 54 (through an opening formed in sheet 53),

Vthence over a pulley 57 suspended from the gable member, thence downward through the opening in the sheet and through an eyelet 58 screwed into the transverse fra-me member, the final end being adjustably held at the desired point of adjustment by clip 59.

Ceiling tensioning member 54 is also splice-jointed with loose pinrhinges as described, the number of joints used depending on the size of the house, but preferably so arranged that the members after folding will all be within about six feet in length.

Having thus described my improved foldable camp house, I claim:

1. In a camp house a floor comprising spaced beams cross-jointed in the center, a supporting beam below the joint secured to the jointed sections by means of bolts slidably operable in longitudinal slots in the jointed sections.

2. In a camp house a floor comprising spaced beams cross-jointed in the center, a supporting beam below the joint secured to the jointed sections by means of bolts slidably operable in longitudinal slots vin the jointed sections and truss rods extending from the outer beams under the intermediate beams. l

3. In a camp house a floor comprising spaced beams cross-jointed inthe center, a supporting beam below the joint secured to the jointed sections by means of bolts slidably operable in longitudinal slots' in the jointed sections, and truss rods extending from -tlie outer beams under the intermediate beams, floor beams supporting on said spaced beams, and a sectional floor supported on the floor beams. Y

4. In a foldablehouse of the character described, slanted Vroof rafters, a canvas covering over the rafters, a strip at the lower end of the rafters over which the canvas extends, thence returning under the raftersV and securedrat its end to the house frame,

and means positioned between the two rows.

spaced below the roof covering, and means for tensioning the ceiling sheet upwards towards the rafters comprising a supporting rod under the ceiling sheet and a plurality of-rope slings depending from the rafters secured to said rod whereby the rod may be pulled upward by said slings.

' 7. In a foldable camp house `a series of spaced horizontal supportingbeams, a superstructure securedthereto by corner bolts passing through saidV beams, anchor plates on said corner bolts, and truss rods connected to said anchor plates and extending angularly under the intermediate beams.

RICHARD H. ATIIEYQ 

